4 
THE GARDENING WORLD. 
January 2, 1904. 
respectively, made fairly line, witli just a dash of wood ashes, 
potting firm, and start them about the middle of the month. 
Some cultivators wait to repot until the Vine has started into 
growth after being placed in heat, but, having practised both 
methods, the former suited me better, and with equal results. 
In pruning established Vines, reserve a, few of the strongest 
short-jointed laterals for propagation where young Vines a,re 
required, cutting them about, If in. long, and removing with 
a sharp knife lengthwise nearly half of the shoot at the back of 
the bud, and insert, the same into 3-in. or 4-in. pots of fibrous 
loam, covering all but the eye, and place out of reach of frost 
for two or three weeks. James Mayne. 
Bicton, Devonshire. 
Round the Nurseries. 
Thos. Rivers and Sons’. 
Sawbridgeworth being within easy distance of London, no 
gardener who spends his, holiday in the great metropolis should 
fail to visit the extensive and well-kept nurseries of Messrs. 
Rivers' and Son. Those who are, familiar with the large ex¬ 
hibitions well know the quality of both the fruit and the trees 
supplied by this firm ; but to. fully comprehend the high 
standard of their-produce, one must visit the nurseries. 
I expected to see a number of trees set’ apart and given 
special treatment to prepare them for exhibition, but I found 
that all receive the same attention, and no special treatment, 
is given to those sent to the exhibitions. Many gardeners; are 
sceptical over the advantages of fruit culture in pots, but one 
has only to note the success of this method here to be fully 
convinced of its many advantages over the old system. Of 
course, I do not, mean that it would be profitable to grow our 
culinary fruit, in pots, but with such, a season as the past one, 
even these might be found very profitable. Mr. Rivers main¬ 
tains that, it is a great advantage to grow dessert fruit in pots, 
for the trees; can then be removed to a place of safety if danger 
threatens; them at any time. There are few who can boast 
of a, room full of fine Apples this year, yet here, there is a grand 
display, as at the time other people’s, blooms: were being de¬ 
stroyed by frost these were sheltered. When one can gather 
twenty good fruits from a tree in a, 13-in. pot there is nothing 
to complain of. That fine Apple Gascoigne’s, Scarlet was 
carrying this number when I saw it. From the utilitarian 
point of vieiv such results as these are very pleasing, and I 
claim that from a decorative view they are even more pleasing. 
What could look better in a conservatory, or even in the house 
itself, tlian a, healthy little: tree of bright-coloured Apples, such 
as Gascoigne’s Scarlet and the King of Tompkins County. 
These nurseries are well known for fruit of every description, 
but perhaps more especially for Peaches and Nectarines, and 
I was not disappointed in. having a, grand stock to look at, but 
I really expected that at least these would be planted out, but 
with the exception of the maidens and young stock in the open 
nursery everything is grown in pots. What an advantage this 
appears to be! In a, house of pyramid trees just undergoing 
their annual cleaning 1 asked the average yield per tree, and 
was astonished to hear that it was nearly ten dozen. The 
trees seem t,o take up less room than those trained on the 
roof, but where the great advantage of this system is most, 
manifest is in the facility with which the tree© may be closed 
together at this season, and thus make room for Chrysanthe¬ 
mums and other autumn and winter flowering stock. 
‘ Earlier in the season I saw many of the varieties in fruit at 
the exhibitions, and noted then the many good qualities, of 
Thos. Rivers, a. variety that was raised here, I think, from 
Princess of Wales. This, I believe, is one of the best 
market, qualities, for late forcing. These two old favourites: 
Alexander and Waterloo are difficult, to, beat, but all are agreed 
who have tested it that Duchess of Cornwall is superior to 
either in every respect, and ripens at the same time. A good 
companion variety to this is Duke of York, the result of a. cross 
between Early Rivers’ Nectarine and Alexander Peach. Its 
great advantage is that it does not cast its buds: so much as 
Alexander. I saw the trees of the new variety that caused 
so much comment at Shrewsbury this year, and a more promis¬ 
ing stock could not be wished for. It is a seedling from that 
popular fruit the Spenser Nectarine. It has been named the 
Peregrine. 
The Cherry trees in pots which this firm make such a 
speciality of are too well known to, need comment, but I 
might say that there are thousands of trees in equally as good 
form as these which are sent out to exhibitions. The same 
applies to Pear “ Conference.” The fine Pear named and cer¬ 
tificated at the Pear Conference was raised here, as well as many 
other well-known varieties, amongst them being Dr. Hogg, 
Magnate, Princess), St. Edmund, Red October, and St. Luke. 
One of the most attractive sights in the houses at, this season 
is the extensive collection, of Oranges, Lemons, and Limes. 
In addition to the ever popular type St. Michael's, I noted 
no less, than eight, varieties, in addition to six other types. 
The true blood Orange is also tc be seen, here, and the golden 
fruit, set off against their background of dark shiny foliage are 
very striking. Even as; late as this I noted several Plum trees 
in full fruit in some of the houses. Kewite. 
Stove Climbers for Succession of Bloom. 
The following stove climbers are useful for giving a con- 
tinuous supply of bloom from March until November, taking 
the Clerodendron Balfouiii first, which conies into bloom early 
in March, and with its large panicles of crimson and white 
flowers. It is of easy cultivation, and is admirably adapted 
for decorating purposes. Before the Clerodendron lias ceased 
blooming we have the Step,ha not is,, with its wax-like flowers of 
pure white, which are sweetly scented. This, lasts in bloom, 
for a lengthened period, especially so, if planted out in a. good 
border. Long before the latter has: finished blooming, Allan 
manda, Hendersonii commences: giving us its lovely golden 
flowers. This, plant will continue blooming until late into the 
autumn. The: flower-stems, should be trained to hang down 
below the wires, so 1 as to show the flowers, from the under-side 
of the plant. From a, plant, planted out in, a, border and 
liberally treated with manure-water through the growing 
season we have had stems which have borne over forty blooms, 
the said plant covering a, space of 320 square feet, which space 
was a mass of bloom from June to the, end of October. 
Ipomoea Horsfalliae now gives us: a fine display of its gor¬ 
geous blooms, which last- for some time on the roof of a, stove, 
but are not serviceable for cut blooms. All the above plants 
can be grown in large pots or tubs, but, if a border be available, 
planting out would prolong their period of flowering in each 
case. They all require a, good rich open compost and a, little 
peat added for the Stiephanotis. Give liberal supplies of 
water in their growing season. The Stephanotis should lie 
rested in the winter and the others after flowering. The 
Clerodendron and Stephanotis should be thinned out after 
flowering. Alla,manda and Ipomoea, should be rested after 
flowering, and after giving them their rest they should be 
cut hard back, when they may be top dressed, given a good 
watering, and started again. T. B., Byham. 
Death of Mr. J. Cargill. —On the 6tli ult., Mr. John Cargill, 
for fully fifty years gardener to ex-Provost- Lamb, of Glencadam. 
died at the Lodge, Glencadam, Brechin. 
Fruit Culture in Herefordshire.— At the last general 
meeting of the Herefordshire Association of Fruit-growers a new 
movement was suggested by Mr. James Dawes and adopted by 
those present. This was that district meetings should be held 
in different parts of the county during the winter months, to 
which the general public should be admitted. This course was 
inaugurated at Ledbury by the delivery of a, lecture on “ The 
Pruning of Young Fruit Trees,” by Mr. Henry Pewtress, 
nurseryman, of Tillington. 
